Branch for artificial tree



May 19, 1964 w. B. REUKAUF 3,133,851

BRANCH FOR ARTIFICIAL TREE Filed April 27, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

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BRANCH FOR ARTIFICIAL TREE Filed April 27, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR M/m Heiz/EWI",

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United States Patent O 3,133,851 BRANCH FOR ARTIFICIAL TREE William B. Reukauf, Haddoneld, NJ., assigner to Carey- McFall Co., Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Apr. 27, 1962, Ser. No. 190,759 2 Claims. (Cl. 161--22) This invention relates generally to artificial trees, and particularly to improvements in branches for such trees.

An important object of the invention is to provide a branch for an artificial tree and a detachable pompon on the end of the branch.

Another object is to provide such a pompon with a reflector.

Another object is to provide such a pompon with fillets that extend radially outwardly uniformly in all directions in umbrella-like fashion.

Another object is to provide such a branch with a detachable pompon and detachable reflector adapted for being sold separately Y Another object of the invention is to provide such a branch, the several parts of which may be conveniently disassembled and packaged for shipping or storage.

Other objects of the' invention will become apparent when the following description is read with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURES l to 3 are perspective views of the spine of the artificial branch showing it liat and rolled to form a tubular member;

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of a metal foil decorative strip;

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view showing the tubular spine of a branch and the end of a metal foil strip inserted in the end thereof preliminary to being wrapped thereabout to form a pompon;

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged section on line 6-6 of FIGURE 5;

FIGURE 7 is a perspective view illustrating how the metal foil strip is wrapped upon the end of the tubular spine of a branch to form a pompon;

FIGURE 8 shows the fully formed pompon separated from the tubular spine of the branch;

FIGURE 9 shows a number of pompons telescoped one into another and into a small diameter tube for storage or being shipped;

FIGURE 10 is a perspective view showing the tubular spine of a branch and the end of a metal foil strip inserted in the end thereof preparatory to being spirally Wrapped thereabout;

FIGURE 1l is a perspective view of a conventional spring metal clip;

FIGURE 12 is a perspective view showing the metal foil strip spirally wrapped about the tubular spine of a branch and secured against unWr'apping;

FIGURE 13 is an enlarged section on line XIII- XIII of FIGURE 12;

FIGURE 14 is an elevation of the pin;

FIGURE 15 isa perspective view of a reflector; and

FIGURE 16 is a longitudinal section through the outer portion of the branch, showing the same fitted with a pompon and a reflector.

Referring particularly to FIGURE 12, a branch constructed in accordance with the invention, generally designated 10, comprises a tubular member or spine 12, a metal foil decorative strip 14 and a conventional spring metal clip 16.

Referring particularly to FIGURES l, 2 and 3, the tubular member 12 is fabricated from a fiat strip of metal 18 having at one end a reentrant cut 20 and at the op posite end a stamped character 22 indicating the length thereof. The strip 18 is rolled to bring the longitudinally 3,133,851 Patented May 19, 1964 ICC extending opposite side edges thereof together to form a butt seam 24. Thus at one end of the tube there is formed an open slit 26.

Referring particularly to FIGURE 4, the metal foil decorative strip 14 is provided With a series of longitudinally extending equally spaced parallel score lines 23 which have the effect of making the strip 14 concave convex in transverse section. Extending part way across the strip 14 from one edge thereof are a series of equally spaced parallel slits 30 which form fillets 32. Extending along one side of the strip 14 is a band 34.

In assembling a branch 10 the tubular member 12 may be held in one hand and one end of strip 14 may be held in the other hand, with the concave side 29 of the strip toward the operator. The end of the band 34 is inserted into the slit 26, as shown in FIGURE 10. Then the member I2 is turned in the direction ofthe arrow, and band 34 is Wrapped in spiral fashion around the member 12, whereupon the fillets 32 extend outwardly in all directions generally toward the slit 26 at the end of the tubular member 12, as shown in FIGURES l2 and 16. The free end of the strip 14 is anchored by means of the clip 16.

Referring particularly to FIGURE 16, if desired, the branch 10 may be provided with a pompon 36 in the center of which is a reflector 38, the reflector and the pompon being held in position by means of a pin 40 inserted into the end of the tubular member 12.

In the formation of a pompon, the member 12 may be held in one hand, and one end of a strip 14 in the other hand, with the concave side toward the operator. The end of the band 34 may now be inserted in the slit 26, as shown in FIGURES 5 and 6. Then the member 12 may be turned in the direction of the arrow (see FIG- URE 7) to wrap the band 34 around the end of member 12 time and time again upon itself. The fillets extend in longitudinal continuation of the member 12 and fan out in all direction in umbrella-like fashion, as shown. The free end of the strip 14 may be cemented or scotch taped in place, as at 41.

Referring particularly to FIGURE l5, the reflector, made of a thin sheet of plastic, is provided with a central opening 42 and three circumferentially equally spaced radially extending slits 44.

Referring particularly to FIGURE 14, the pin 40, made of plastic, is provided with a body 46 terminating at one end in an enlarged head 48 and at the opposite end in a point 50.

The pompon and reector may be disassembled from the branch 1t) by removing the pin 40, whereupon the reiiector 38 and the pompon 36 may be detached from the tubular member 12 and from each other. The pompons may be stored separately or they may be telescoped one into another and stored in a small diameter tube 52, as shown in FIGURE 9.

Conventionally, instead of using a tubular member to form the spine of the branch, a solid rod is used. The end of the rod is slit through diametrically from side to side thereof, and when the end of the metal foil decorative strip is inserted into the slit preliminary to being wrapped around the rod, it usually extends all the way through the slit and beyond the rod. Then when the operator commences to wrap the strip of foil around the rod, the portion of the foil that extends beyond the rod is folded in the wrong direction and the fillets extend outwardly from the rod in an irregular manner, which spoils the appearance of the pompon. This disadvantage is avoided by using a tubular spine instead of a solid spine. In this way, the beginning end of the foil strip may extend into but not all the way through and beyond the spine.

In addition, conventionally, the diameter of the rod is small and characters stamped thereon to indicate the length thereof are small and hard to read because they are stamped with a fiat dye on the round outer surface of the rod. This ditiiculty is avoided by stamping the size or length of the tubular member on the strip from which it is fabricated while the strip is in the flat, as shown in FIGURE 1. Thus the dye is applied to a iiat surface and the numerals may be made larger and easier to read.

The use of a tubular spine, instead of a solid spine, makes possible the use of reflectors in the center of the pompons, and these reiiectors, of course, may be changed at will merely by removing the pins 40 and replacing the reectors with rcectors of the desired color.

In view of the fact that the pompons and reectors are detachable from the branch 10, the dealer may stock the branches and the pompons 36 separately, and the customer may buy pompons 36 for use with branches 10, or he may buy only the branches 10.

It will be understood, of course, that the present invention, as described and shown, is susceptible to various changes and modifications which may be made without any departure from the general principles or real spirit of the invention. Accordingly, it is intended to claim the present invention broadly, as well as specifically, as indicated inthe appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as follows:

1. In a branch for an artificial tree, the combination comprising a tubular member, a unitary preformed pompon detachably fitted over one end of said tubular member, said pompon including a one-piece decorative strip of sheet material having a band part extending along one side thereof and a series of fillets extending from said band part transversely of said strip to the opposite side thereof, said band part being wrapped time and again about said end of the tubular member with said fillets fanning outwardly from said band in all directions in umbrella-like fashion, a decorative reflector member made of exible sheet material and disposed in the center of said pompon, a pin extending through said reflector member and detachably received by said tubular member, said pin being frictionally held by said tubular member, and being operative for holding said reflector member to said pompon for conforming to the shape thereof, and a onepiece decorative strip of sheet material separate from said pompon and having a band part extending along one side thereof and a series of fillets extending from said band part transversely of said strip to the opposite side thereof, said band being spiral wrapped about said tubular member with said fillets extending outwardly therefrom in all directions and toward said pompon.

2. The combination defined in claim 1 wherein the pompon is slidably fitted over the end of the tubular member, and the reflector member is centrally apertured and split on one side thereof from said aperture radially outwardly whereby to facilitate flexing thereof for conforming to the shape of said pompon.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,806,313 James Sept. 17, 1957 3,041,767 Ranoha et al July 3, 1962 3,044,201 Lalick July 17, 1962 

1. IN A BRANCH FOR AN ARTIFICIAL TREE, THE COMBINATION COMPRISING A TUBULAR MEMBER, A UNITARY PREFORMED POMPON DETACHABLE FITTED OVER ONE END OF SAID TUBULAR MEMBER, SAID POMPON INCLUDING A ONE-PIECE DECORATIVE STRIP OF SHEET MATERIAL HAVING A BAND PART EXTENDING ALONG ONE SIDE THEREOF AND A SERIES OF FILLETS EXTENDING FROMSAID BAND PART TRANSVERSELY OF SAID STRIP TO THE OPPOSITE SIDE THEREOF, SAID BAND PART BEING WRAPPED TIME AND AGAIN ABOUT SAID END OF THE TUBULAR MEMBER WITH SAID FILLETS FANNING OUTWARDLY FROM SAID BAND IN ALL DIRECTIONS IN UMBRELLA-LIKE FASHION, A DECORATIVE REFLECTOR MEMBER MADE OF FLEXIBLE SHEET MATERIAL AND DISPOSED IN THE CENTER OF SAID POMPON, A PIN EXTENDING THROUGH SAID REFLECTOR MEMBER AND DETACHABLE RECEIVED BY SAID TUBULAR MEMBER, SAID PIN BEING FRICTIONALLY HELD BY SAID TUBULAR MEMBER, AND BEING OPERATIVE FOR HOLDING SAID REFLECTOR MEMBER TO SAID POMPON FOR CONFORMING TO THE SHAPE THEREOF, AND A ONEPIECE DECORATIVE STRIP OF SHEET MATERIAL SEPARATE FROM SAID POMPON AND HAVING A BAND PART EXTENDING ALONG ONE SIDE THEREOF AND A SERIES OF FILLETS EXTENDING FROM SAID BAND PART TRANSVERSELY OF SAID STRIP TO THE OPPOSITE SIDE THEREOF, SAID BAND BEING SPIRAL WRAPPED ABOUT SAID TUBULAR MEMBER WITH SAID FILLETS EXTENDING OUTWARDLY THEREFROM IN ALL DIRECTIONS AND TOWARD SAID POMPON. 